love your enemies

As most of you know if you have been reading the previous blogs the eviction of Dey Krahom has been heavy on my heart.I have spent time out at the relocation site and it isn't pretty .The people there have been without water and food and being 20 kilometers outside the city they have no way of making a living.The people I met were of the market community that was a vibrant part of Dey Krahom .Although some of the people have documentation saying that they have been residents in some cases 10 years or more the developer won't recognize their claim.They are now being told they will be evicted from the resettlement site by the 28th of february.The developer and government were happy to relocate them outside the city where there isn't as many eyes on them.Now that they are there they are abusing their rights even more.

I had a lot of anger against the developer ,the government and especially the police .To see the police in riot gear abusing the citizens they should be protecting was in my mind a double slap in the face of justice. I have spent the past couple of weeks in and out of court with one of the community leaders who was charged with some trumped up charges to try to silence him.It was great to see the faith community rally around Dey Krahom and the abuses of Justice.There is so much healing to be done with the anger and hatred for everyone involved.

This definitely includes me.

So how is God going to do that???It is easy enough to read the Word it says "but Love your enemies" .Easier (said and read) than done.How does that manifest itself????In my head I know God wants me to and I know I want to do what God wants me to.But how????

The reason I have such a heart for Cambodia seems to be the youth that keep teaching me everyday in my walk.Whether it is an eight year old teaching me Khmer,a 10 year old taking care of her little brother or sister, youth in BBSC or the youth worshipping the Lord at New Life Fellowship with abandon,it seems they are teaching me.

Valentines Day !!!!I know a day of artificial love tokens made up by the marketers of consumerism.Sorry ladies I am actually a romantic and don't need a day set aside by someone else,everyday is a day to share your love.




So what did I do on Valentine's Day????I went into the enemies camp and showered them with love.A Christian youth group from EFC Cambodia decided to rent a couple of Tuk Tuks and drive around the city looking for policeman.We would then stop run out and give them gifts and little heart decorations and then gather around them and tell them that we loved them.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!

If you would have told me as I watched the police at Dey Krahom and the violence that I would be giving gifts and telling the policeman they were loved I would have told you you were crazy.The youth understand that the police everyday abuse the citizens extort money for fines etc.etc. but they knew that darkness cannot exist in the light of love.They knew that the police even if only for moments,maybe the whole day maybe longer would treat others as they had been treated, with love.The unsuspecting police were changed by this action of love,the students were changed and encouraged and thank God I have been changed by this moment.
Thank-you to all the students pictured here that were actually the teachers today......they taught me how to love.
God bless kevin